Chattanooga Post #1

The first adventure on our trip was to Ruby Falls. Well, actually the first real adventure we had was the last-minute plans to dash away on our mini-vacation! We had mentioned it once in passing, but around 4:00 in the afternoon, we decided to go. I booked the room right after I picked the boys up from preschool and we were on the road by seven that night! Exciting, right? It really was! They were absolutely beside themselves, and honestly, so were we! We'd never done anything like this before!

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Nevertheless, we arrived around 11:00 and got into our room! They were bouncing off the walls...more precisely the beds, of which we had three! That was a pleasant surprise. It had a separate room that had a "wet bar" whatever that really is. Basically a sink, mini-fridge, coffee-maker and microwave, with a couch-bed and the bathroom! Anyway, it had it's own TV which I was able to set on the "soundscapes" channel since I forgot his sound machine. Charlie slept in there. That allowed us to stay up and watch TV with Huett and Sam without bothering Charlie. What a little unexpected blessing!

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So, of course we woke up with the sun the next morning and after attending a magnificent continental breakfast, which included omelets, sausage, eggs, cereal, bagels, toast, and waffles, which you got to make yourself we were off to...the pool!

Charlie's first adventure into the pool went off without a hitch! He loved it, and so did the big boys!

Now back to our first stop! We went to Ruby Falls. It was a dreary drizzly day, so going deep underground was perfect!

They were pretty excited!

Here we are in the gift shop waiting on our tours to begin!
My little excavators!


This is exactly how Mikey and Charlie spent the majority of the mile long trip to the falls and back. Charlie got toted the entire time because the cave was definitely not stroller-friendly, which was just fine with him! Mikey spent most of the walk hunched over because the cave ceilings and all of the stalactites hung down far too low for his 6'4" frame.
Can you say backache?

Sam did pretty good on the trip, however, his strength did begin to wane towards the end of the trek. Totally understandable though because it was a lot of ups and downs., and he is only three years old!

Charlie was loving all the attention he was getting from the people that were on the trail behind us because, like you saw earlier, he was looking behind us the entire time!

Huett did great, and later told us that this was his favorite part of the whole trip. Well, besides the hotel pool, of course!

I know this picture isn't very clear, but this was taken at the waterfall inside the cave, which is completely magnificent! Obviously this picture doesn't do it justice! I saw it when I was little, but I don't remember it being that impressive. Little known fact...the scientists have no idea where the water for the falls originates, but they put dye in the water so they know it drains into the Tennessee River.

Any way, I love the looks on their faces! I wish this picture were clearer!

Next stop, the Incline Railway! This was a fun little adventure too because Mikey is incredibly acrophobic, or afraid of heights. It was a little train car that went from the tip top of Lookout Mountain, straight down to the bottom! It was like a seventy degree incline. Luckily for him, it went really slow! Still, the thought of it malfunctioning and becoming a runaway train car was enough to keep it interesting!

This was a look we got to see a lot of during our trip! Utter excitement!

Atop the platform above the incline railway we attempted yet another family pic! Huett has developed a bad habit of covering his eyes every time I try to take a picture of him, even if it isn't sunny! That's what you're seeing here!

These two! Charlie loves his daddy, and I love this picture!

So there you have it, the first of our adventures in the great state of Tennessee!

More posts to come!